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Elladarian: Custom Set Challenge
If you go to my profile and check on my sets, you'll notice one called "Elladarian," featuring 60 cards, making it my biggest set. But I stopped working on it nearly two years ago. Now it's finally time to have it finished, but not by me, so I thought I'd turn it into a fun challenge.
This got way too long, so please read the detailing of the rest attached in the .pdf.
This got way too long, so please read the detailing of the rest attached in the .pdf.
Comments
I don't think there is one. If I tried to do a TL;DR version, it would get too non-thematic. You would still need to read the whole thing, or at least the faction descriptions and the story and non-preset entries section. That's the only shortening I can give, and for story submissions, you still need to read the whole thing, so : (
Submission noted.
https://forums.mtgcardsmith.com/index.php?p=/discussion/412/adventurers-of-athera-challenge/p1
It's up to you, but I prefer you don't do too many, two or three is probably a good amount if you do more than one, but it's really up to you.
Bump
Maybe if you started off some lore, it could get others interested and also keep the discussion in a noticeable spot without constant bumps.
Perfect — that gives me some room to be creative without overloading the lore all at once. Let’s go with three entries to kick things off: one classic, one weird, and one somewhere in between. Here's what I’ve cooked up:
🔥 1. King of Morodin
The noble flame that holds the realm together.
Name: King Albrax the Resolute
Mana Cost:
{2}{R}{W}Type: Legendary Creature — Human Noble Soldier
Rarity: Rare
Power/Toughness:
4/4Rules Text:
Vigilance, First strike
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gains indestructible until end of turn.
Whenever a creature you control blocks alone, it gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
“Brighthold does not fall while I still draw breath. And should I fall, the flame shall burn on in every soul sworn to Morodin.”
Design Notes: Inspired by King’s Stand. Emphasizes heroic lone combat and defensive bravery.
🌊 2. Wavelord of Shadowdeep
The whispering tide that swallows the truth.
Name: Velkyris, Wavelord of Drowned Whispers
Mana Cost:
{3}{U}{B}Type: Legendary Creature — Merfolk Warlock Horror
Rarity: Rare
Power/Toughness:
3/6Rules Text:
Ward—Discard a card
At the beginning of your end step, if an opponent lost life this turn, you may mill three cards. Then you may return a nonland card milled this way to your hand.
Whenever you cast a spell from your graveyard, surveil 1 and each opponent loses 1 life.
“The ocean speaks secrets no surface soul was meant to know. I merely echo its will.”
Design Notes: Classic Dimir flavor with self-mill, graveyard recursion, and disruption. The "ward—discard" makes opponents fear targeting it.
⚙️ 3. Powershell, Sovereign of Chromeweb
The war engine with a mind beyond time.
Name: Powershell, Sovereign of Chromeweb
Mana Cost:
{W}{U}{B}{R}Type: Legendary Artifact Creature — Construct Artificer Horror
Rarity: Mythic Rare
Power/Toughness:
6/6Rules Text:
Menace, Vigilance
Artifact creatures you control have hexproof and “Whenever this creature becomes tapped, you may pay {1}. If you do, create a 1/1 colorless Golem artifact creature token.”
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control 10 or more artifacts, each opponent loses 5 life and you draw two cards.
“It does not build armies. It reproduces inevitability.”
Design Notes: Yore-tiller in spirit. Leans into futuristic sci-fi horror and relentless golem-summoning. Strong synergy with artifact swarms.
Let me know if you'd like any tweaks to these or if you want to dive into lore/story entries next! I'm definitely down to help make Elladarian's saga feel cohesive and wild in the best way.
It looks like Mellow_MC is interested lore creation, but doesn't feel confident enough to do so without someone else also doing lore, so maybe you two could work together... DM each other about story arcs, characters, and stuff.
📜 Elladarian Story Draft Starter:
Act 1:
Peace across Elladarian shatters when the Omenpaths tear open, allowing the Omenslayers, eldritch horrors from beyond the planes, to invade.
Razi, the ancient dragon, awakens — but is weakened and scattered, not whole. Each faction must choose: aid the dragon and risk destruction... or ally with the Omenslayers for a promise of power.
Act 2:
Morodin stands proud but divided — their king torn between defending Brighthold or chasing an ancient weapon lost in Daggerwood.
Gauntmaw sees the chaos as a sign of strength and seeks conquest.
Rivenmall's magi debate whether to seal the Omenpaths or study the energies spilling forth.
Meanwhile, Shadowdeep quietly manipulates both sea and mind, and Grildenar fears that even their sacred wood cannot resist the corruption creeping across the land.
Act 3:
The Golem Kingdom, led by Powershell, makes a dangerous gamble: either side with the eldritch invaders or unleash their own weaponized technology.
In the labyrinth beneath Garangrim’s Dungeon, an artifact that could sway the tides of war slumbers — if only the right adventurers could survive to claim it...
If @Mellow_MC wants to build off of this (or pitch an entirely different idea), I’m totally game.
Would you like me to also create a few "starter characters" for @Mellow_MC and me to flesh out together? 🎭
1123 a.d
As Morodin entered it's 4th century of stability and peace, The High Chieftain of Gauntmaw, Ick' Ralah, saw fit to lead a new raiding party into Morodin territory, as a sort of sick present for the celebrating people of Morodin. Yet this action would escalate into something neither side could have predicted.
As the large raiding party of around 2,000 traveled through the open terrain of Guantmaw, groups from neighboring settlements began to merge with the Leader of Guantmaw, swelling the force into incomprehensible numbers. As the raiding band entered Morodin territory, it numbered around 60,000; the largest gathering of Guantmaw in 150 years.
With Morodin's standing army numbering only around 15,000, their numbers would need to be bolstered. But Ick' Ralah had prepared, sending larger raiding bands to interfere with communications between Morodin and it's allies.
They were alone.
The King of Morodin, whose name is still shrouded in mystery from the time period, sent out messages to every town and city, gathering as many willing or unwilling volunteers as possible. But without enough weapons and armor to outfit every soldier, they were hideously outmatched. Their force numbered at around 45,000.
At dawn on June 14th, 1123, the forces of Guantmaw attacked the city of Whitebrand. The King of Morodin, whose army was stationed within riding distance, made haste to defend the city. At 6:30 that day, the 2 armies met in the field. Guantmaw had 50,000 troops out in the field and another 10,000 attacked the inner keep of the city.
The 2 armies charged head on at each other, clashing in a brutal melee. No fancy tactics would save the under prepared armies of Morodin, as the terrain outside of Whitebrand was skinny and flanked by a mountain on one side and a river on the other. The King had grossly overplayed his hand. Although his knights carved through the armies of Guantmaw with relative ease, his untrained recruits were butchered by the bloodlusting barbarians. Half of the King's army was gone within the hour, the other half hemmed against the side of the mountain.
Before long, The High Chieftain of Guantmaw met the King of Morodin in single combat. Wielding a mythical axe looted from the magical vaults of ancient dwarven cities, Ick' Ralah struck the King off his horse, but not before being dealt a mortal wound to his side. Both leaders died that day, slain on each others blades.
With their leader dead, the barbarians of Guantmaw wavered, and the Knights, reinvigorated by their leader's sacrifice, charged forward, massacring the invaders, routing them from the field.
Although the battle was technically won, it was not without loss. The armies of Morodin were devastated, and many workers and younger boys were slaughtered in the battle. Meanwhile, the fragmented barbarians pillaged their way back into Guantmaw territory, taking many lives in the process.
Losses:
Guantmaw: 34,567 dead, 19,203 wounded.
Morodin: 21,324 dead, remainder wounded
The King and 5 of his successors also died in the battle.
The battle took place around 51 years ago.
Somewhere in the Ironpeaks.
Krallis huddled into his tent, the overwhelming cold of the Ironpeaks setting into his very bones. Even as a Dragonborn, his natural heat couldn't sustain him in the mountains said to be cursed by an ancient white dragon. But even so, he was chosen as a guide up the slopes for a group of imperial troops. He didn't know much about the mission. All he knew was that it was important.
As he attempted to get some rest, suddenly a gruff voice came through his canvas tent.
"Oi. Guide. We've got to get moving. Somthin' about the weather," Said the soldier poking his head into Krallis's tent.
The Dragonborn sighed, standing up and stretching in the cramped confines of the tent. As he tossed open the fold, he saw the convoy of soldiers moving into position around a strange caravan of shining wagons and palanquins.
He sighed again, knowing that this was going to be a long, looonnnnggg day.